Brain coach Mehran Rowshan believes that teaching the youth how to manage stress is vital in character development. Both skill and character are nurtured at Alliance Football Club, Dubai, and Mehran’s founding principles are carried through into his practice as Head Coach of a prospering football club for boys and girls.
Stress does not discriminate; regardless of your age, cultural background or financial standing, you cannot dodge the stress of everyday life. It takes more than being mentally strong to handle all the pressure we face in our daily lives.
In addition, the current state of modern life and societal expectations have forced everyday people into dealing with a rollercoaster of emotions. Teenagers go through spontaneous ups and downs from the responsibilities at home, school and within their friendship and social media circles.
As a consequence of all these pressures, many teenagers have become terrified of failing. Afraid to meet their parents’, teachers’, coach’s or even peers’ expectations. Anxious to meet deadlines and nervous to perform.
Mehran makes it his priority to ensure the mental and emotional wellbeing of the young players who call Alliance Football Club, Dubai, home. Helping the youth to combat stress leads to an elevated mindset.
Here are Mehran’s five tips for teenagers to take their stress and turn it into moments of learning:
It’s natural to feel stressed – identify your stress and accept it
You can feel stress about good or bad situations. From having tryouts for the school’s football team to failing an exam, the stress tells us how vital these things are. The stress is there, and we have to deal with it.
Stress can be gold – make it a learning experience
Stress is our body’s natural reaction to demanding circumstances. Having a bit of stress; temporary stress – can be good for us. Moderate levels of stress can boost performance when we find ourselves in challenging situations. Learning how to deal with stress can lead to increased perseverance.
Rethink how you perceive stress – remember it’s temporary
If you can identify stress as a temporary challenge, something you’ve defeated before, and your body’s way of telling you to be more attentive, stress won’t feel so negative. How we define situations is the crucial component.
Focus on what you can control – and use it to your advantage
When things don’t go our way, it’s easy to get engaged in the wrong perception.
From believing that we have no power over a situation to contemplating all the things that aren’t working in our favour, worrying about all the negative things that could occur next.
It’s imperative to cognitively move to focus on what you have authority over in a given situation. That can assist in keeping anxiety and stress at a controllable level.
Within our power are our beliefs, emotions, ambitions, desires and goals. We are in control of what books we consume, who we hang out with, how many hours we sleep and how we face a problem.
Don’t be shy to ask for external help – you’re not alone
Some people are naturally more resilient and can respond more adequately to stressful situations, whereas others may need more practice. Remember that every person has their own way of dealing with stressors. If you feel you’re struggling, talk to your family members, friends, or a trusted adult to get help. Learning how to deal with stress takes practice and effort, which leads to increased resilience.
Learn more about Mehran’s work and the sports organisation on www.AllianceFootballClub.com